Beyond the Mirror
by Queen Lu
Summary: Mae Phillips is sent to her Aunt's victorian mansion, and while she is there finds an old mirror. The mirror seems to be a window to another world. What adventures will it bring to Mae? Lucy/OC R&R!
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N: I would like to thank Lady Jill Pole for helping me edit! Please read and REVIEW!!! Thanks. ;)**_

_**Beyond the Mirror**_

Mae Phillips plopped her two homely suitcases and one rather ratty backpack on the front porch. She looked up at the lonely Victorian mansion, waiting for someone to answer the door.

It looked as though the mansion had once been a cheery yellow, but it was now mostly gray, and the paint was peeling. A few windows had boards over them, and some of the once-fancy white border was falling off.

Mae shifted her feet back and forth impatiently. _What in the world is taking so long? _She wondered. _I've been standing out here for at least five minutes!_

It did not help that it was a blustery winter afternoon, and Mae shivered in the cold. Stamping her feet to keep herself warm, she pounded on the door once more.

Mid-stamp, her foot plunged through the rotting front porch. She screamed as she desperately tried to free her leg. After a few agonizing minutes of wriggling and squirming, Mae decided that it was hopeless. _There's no way I'm going to get out of this predicament on my own, _she thought grumpily.

She stood there, very uncomfortable for what seemed like an eternity. The wind started up, and heavy snow began to fall. Pretty soon Mae was chilled to the bone. Actually, she was more like frozen to the bone. She desperately pounded on the door once more, hoping that someone would answer.

_Someone was supposed to be here! Maybe this is the wrong house and no one lives here. _Then an awful thought came to her mind. _I'm gonna die. No one's here and I'm stuck out in the cold. I am going to die a tragic, icy death. I'm going to get hypothermia and-_WHAT WAS THAT?!? She felt something tickling her leg. It slowly made its way up her leg.

That was the last straw. Mae started screaming at the top of her lungs. All thoughts of dying flew from Mae's mind. The only thing that was on her mind was to get that creepy little thing off of her. She screamed and yelled and wriggled as much as possible. If there was one thing that Mae Phillips was more afraid of than anything, it was bugs. Especially spiders.

Just as Mae was becoming hoarse, she heard a car motor. A black Lexus came down the driveway. Mae yelled and waved as much as possible, trying to get the driver of the car to notice her. The car screeched to a stop, and a tall man; who appeared to be the chauffer helped a rather plump lady out of the car.

Apparently they had spotted her, and the chauffer came running, with the plump lady walking briskly behind him. The chauffer rushed up the front porch steps and instantly began pulling her out. After several attempts, Mae was finally free of her prison.

She instantly began stamping and slapping her leg. When she finally felt the creeping stop, she stood still. _Oh great, Mae. You just squashed some bug into your skin while making an absolute idiot out of yourself in front of your aunt,_ She thought.

Mae looked up and quickly said, "Thanks."

The chauffer winked and gave me a goofy grin, "My pleasure, miss."

My aunt, on the other hand, looked very disgruntled.

"Good heavens, child. What is wrong with you? What on earth made you dance around in such a un-lady-like manner?"

"Well…uh…you see, there was this bug…" Mae mumbled sheepishly.

"Oh, never mind. Are you hurt? I've been telling James to fix this porch for ages," she said, giving a meaningful look at the chauffer. "How long have you been out here like this, child? We do need to get you inside. Your lips are turning blue." She started digging around in her purse for a key. Retrieving it, she unlocked the door. "Come in. James will get your things."

Mae stepped inside and looked around. There was a wide staircase directly in front of her, and various rooms were scattered off to the left and right. Certain furniture was covered in white sheets, and everything seemed to have a thick layer of dust.

"Sorry about the mess. I just moved in a month ago, and my things are helter-skelter," my aunt said absent-mindedly. "This house is going to be a big fixer-upper, but I just couldn't resist buying it. It's magnificent! Well, once I fix it up, it will be." She proceeded up the stairs, leading me towards my new room. She chattered on and on, not stopping for a breath.

_That's what Mom said about her, _Mae thought._ "She loves to talk" she had told me. And boy, is that true. _Mae's thoughts drifted to her mom. _Oh, Mom. Why did you have to leave me here, all alone? Why-_ Mae's thoughts were interrupted with a loud, "Here we are. This is your room. There's a bathroom down the hall. The water is running already, so feel free to take a bath. Everything you'll need is in there. I'll see you in a bit." Aunt Mallory left the room, yelling to James about something.

Mae looked around the room curiously. There was a four poster bed with a pink and white bedspread, a lace canopy, and down pillows. A white vanity bordered one wall, and a large window with a window seat let in weak sunshine. There was walk-in closet too.

"When Mom told Aunt Mallory that she could prepare a room for me, she certainly didn't tell her I didn't like pink. Or frills." Mae sat down on the pink lace window seat cushion and stared out the window.

When Mae's mom had learned she had cancer and had only a few months to live, she had asked her sister; Mae's Aunt Mallory, if she would allow Mae to live with her, since had never become married. Aunt Mallory had conceded, and when Mae's mom died, Mae was shipped off to New York.

Mae's dad had died when she was three, and he hadn't had any brothers or sisters, so Aunt Mallory was the only option, unless Mae stayed in an orphanage or a foster home, which was unheard of in Madelyn Grace Phillips' mind.

Mae had been devastated when her mom died. She had stayed at a friend's house for three months until her aunt was prepared for her.

Mae's thoughts snapped back to reality when a small pang went up her leg. She reached down and pulled up her jean pant leg. Sure enough, a small gash was bleeding, and Mae hurried to the bathroom to bathe and take care of her cut.

Once she was showered and warm, Mae looked around her room a bit more. Some of the things in her room were obviously antique and probably had come with the house. She wandered into the closet, unpacking her clothing. She spied an old, dusty antique mirror on the wall and wandered over to it. It was cracked in one place, but was probably still useable, she reasoned.

She brushed the dust off with her fingertips so she could see herself better. Brown hair, green eyes. Taller than average. _Pretty plain jane if you ask me, _Mae thought. Suddenly, the image of herself distorted, and a shorter girl with honey-blonde hair and blue eyes appeared. Another girl appeared, only this one was older and had dark hair and dark eyes.

"Come on, Lu," the older girl urged in an English accent. "Peter and Edmund are waiting for us."

"I know. You've only said that five million times." The short one said, also with an English accent.

The short girl placed down her brush and stared in at the mirror one last time.

"Su, look, doesn't that look like…" the short girl's voice faded, and so did the image. The mirror once again portrayed Mae Madelyn Phillips.

"Wow," Mae breathed. "That was incredible! It was like…like peeking in on another world!"

"Mae! Please come down here!" Aunt Mallory called. "It's time for dinner."

Mae poked her head out of the closet. "Coming!" she yelled, glancing back at the mirror one last time before she hurried downstairs. Whatever she had stumbled across was amazing. She wasn't going to tell anybody. No, no one would know of this somewhat magical mirror. It was going to stay a secret.


	2. Chapter 2

_**A/N: Okay, so I was so excited about this story and so inspired (now that's rare! =) that I just had to write another chapter today! Enjoy! R&R!**_

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Lucy hurriedly pulled a brush through her hair. Peter, Edmund, and Susan were all waiting for her. They were going to go horseback-riding this morning, and she had woken up late.

"In fact," Lucy said to herself, "I bet they'll send Susan up here any minute now."

Just then, Lucy's sister appeared in the doorway. "Come on Lu, Peter and Edmund are waiting for us."

"I know, you've only said that to me five million times," Lucy responded playfully.

Susan gave her a look that said: What are you talking about? I've only been up here once!

Lucy just grinned, and set down her brush. She looked in the mirror once more, and suddenly her image faded. A vague picture of a girl seemed to appear.

"Look, Su, doesn't that look like a girl?" Lucy asked Susan, pointing at the mirror.

"Well, of course it's a girl. _You're _a girl," Susan said matter-of-factly. "Stop playing games and come on!"

"No, I mean a different girl. Come over here."

Susan walked over and gazed into the mirror. "Why, it does look like a different girl. She certainly has strange clothing on," she remarked, looking at the brown haired girl's jeans and t-shirt.

The girl in the mirror suddenly glanced out of a doorway and shouted, "Coming!" and then dashed away. After that, the image faded and Susan and Lucy were once again staring at their own reflections.

Just then, Peter and Edmund appeared too. "What are you two girls doing? We've been waiting for you for hours!" Peter said, irritated.

"They're primping!" Edmund teased good-naturedly.

"Oh, you have not been waiting for hours," Susan retorted.

"Should we tell them?" Lucy whispered.

"Tell us what?" Peter and Edmund asked in unison.

"I don't know, they way they've been treating us, I don't think they deserve to be told," Susan replied mischievously.

"Alright, I suppose it will be our little secret for now," Lucy giggled. "But it _was_ amazing, wasn't it?"

"Oh, yes. I wonder why it did that," Susan said. Then, looking at the boys she said, "I suppose we'll discuss this later since we have two little eavesdroppers."

Edmund replied, "I think you two are just bluffing, trying to get us all curious because you're annoyed that we had to come get you."

"You're wrong," Lucy replied, a smile on her face. "Come on, let's go have fun."

The four Pevensies left Lucy's chambers and went outside towards Cair Paravel's stables. They each saddled up their horses and were off. They had a wonderful time riding on the beaches, and at noon, they had a picnic lunch.

When they returned to the palace in the afternoon, Susan met Lucy in her chambers. Sitting on Lucy's bed, Susan commented, "That was so strange this morning. It was like we were looking into another world."

"I know," Lucy replied. "I wonder if it will do it again." She walked over the mirror, staring into it intently. When no other image than herself appeared, she sighed and walked back over to her bed.

"It probably just happened spontaneously," Susan replied, "Or we just imagined it. It's not very realistic to believe that we saw some girl from a different world in a mirror."

Lucy frowned. "Oh, come on Su. Don't be so realistic. After all, _we_ are from a different world than Narnia."

"I suppose you're right. Well, I'm awfully tired, so I'm going to go rest. Tell me if you see anything else in the mirror." Susan got up and left the room.

Lucy sat there glumly for awhile. She so wished that something else would appear in the mirror.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Mae rushed down the stairs and into the dining room. It was magnificent, and it looked as though her Aunt Mallory had already furnished this room. Thick brocade curtains hung on the two windows, with a light green and gold design. The large wooden table had a lace tablecloth over it, and sparkling china was set out on the table.

"Wow, Aunt Mallory. You didn't have to use your best china for my first night here," Mae commented.

"Child, this is how I eat every night. And this isn't even close to my best china. This is actually my second to worst china set," Aunt Mallory replied, skeptically looking at Mae. "And you will need to dress up for dinner. I will not have you coming for the meal in ratty clothing."

Mae stared at her aunt. She was wearing a nice dress, and her hair was swept up in an elegant French twist. Diamond earrings sparkled in her ears, and a diamond necklace circled her neck. Mae looked down at her own clothing. _These are not ratty. Just…Casual,_ Mae thought. _I wonder what she looks like when she has company!_

"Child, what are you doing just standing there? Sit down!"

"Oh, sorry," Mae mumbled, taking a seat.

Soon after, a maid brought in a ham, green beans, and soup. Mae ate as politely as she knew how. She felt out of place in this fancy dining room.

"Now, child. We need to talk about your education," Aunt Mallory said. "You are going to have a private tutor. I don't need you to go to a public school where you will learn to be all rowdy."

"What? But how will I make any friends? And…and I went to public school back in Michigan! I'm not rowdy anyway!" Mae exclaimed, almost choking on her soup.

"Child! Calm down!" Aunt Mallory replied sternly. "You may not be rowdy quite yet, but if you keep attending a public school, I'm sure you will. Besides, you're already wearing improper clothing."

"But I don't want to be tutored! There's nothing wrong with public schools—" Mae was cut off.

"That's enough, child. You are going to have a private tutor and that is that. As for the friend factor, you will surely make friends at church." Aunt Mallory began cutting her ham, signaling that the conversation was over.

Mae was silent and then asked softly, "How is my clothing improper?"

Aunt Mallory looked up as if she were wondering why Mae would ask such a thing. "You're wearing jeans and a t-shirt, child. If young ladies are going to wear anything other than skirts and dresses, they should be wearing dress pants and a nice blouse. I will take you shopping sometime this week for new clothing."

Mae grumpily stabbed at her ham. _I don't want to wear dress pants and nice shirts all the time! Much less skirts and dresses._ _ Aunt Mallory couldn't be any more unlike Mom! Aunt Mallory certainly has much different beliefs than Mom did. Although I suppose Mom did tell me she was very refined and proper._

After finishing their meal in silence, Mae went back upstairs and changed into her pj's. She went back into her closet and stared at the mirror.

She stared at it hard, willing it to once again become a magical window leading to another world. To her surprise, it did! Her reflection faded, and it portrayed the short blond headed girl named Lu once again. She was sitting on her bed this time, looking awfully glum. Lu looked up, and looked back down again. Suddenly, her head jolted back up and she rushed over to her mirror, staring directly at Mae.

_I wonder if she can see me, _Mae thought excitedly. Suddenly the girl's voice wafted through the mirror.

"Who are you?" her English accent whispered in awe.

"I'm Mae," Mae replied, amazed that they could talk back and forth.

"I am Lucy," the blonde headed girl replied, blue eyes wide. "Where are you from?"

"I'm from America," Mae answered, wondering why Lucy had asked such a strange question. Just then, she noticed Lucy's clothing. It looked kind of like medieval clothing, only a bit different. Was this girl from the past?

"I'm from Narnia. In fact, I'm one of the queens here."

Mae was about to ask where Narnia was and what it was when Lucy's image faded, and she could no longer see her. "Lucy? Lucy, are you there?"

There was no reply. Mae turned from the mirror sadly. She wished she could have talked to Lucy longer. She wandered out of the closet and turned off her lights. She crawled into bed and closed her eyes, dreaming up all sorts of ideas of what kind of land Narnia was. She intended to talk to Lucy again, if only she could get the mirror to work once more.


	3. Chapter 3

"I'm from Narnia. In fact, I'm one of the queens here," Lucy said excitedly, looking at her new found friend through the mirror.

Lucy waited for the girl to respond. Instead, Mae just stared at the mirror blankly, looking rather disappointed.

"Lucy? Lucy, are you there?" Mae asked.

"Yes! Yes! I am right here!" Lucy said, rather confused. Couldn't this girl still see and hear her?

Mae looked at the mirror wistfully, and then she disappeared. Lucy was staring at herself again. Lucy sighed; disappointed she hadn't learned more about Mae. But then she brightened, and hurried off to go find Susan.

Lucy happily scurried to Susan's chambers and threw open the door. Lucy giggled at what she saw.

Susan was sprawled on her bed, her arm flung off the side. A book lay open on the floor, apparently where Susan had dropped it. Susan's hair was mussed, and her once elegant dress was now a mountain of wrinkles.

Lucy deliberated for a minute, trying to decide whether or not to wake her peacefully sleeping sister.

Lucy waited a few moments more before going over and shaking Susan awake.

"Susan! Wake up! I have the most wonderful news!" Lucy bubbled.

"Go away, Lu. I'm trying to rest!" Susan mumbled sleepily.

"But I just can't wait to tell you this! Please, Susan?" Lucy pleaded.

"Oh, fine." Susan sat up and smoothed her hair and dress. "What's so exciting that you couldn't wait another hour to tell me?"

"The mirror! I saw the girl in the mirror again! Her name is Mae, and she's from America!" Lucy spouted like an energetic fountain.

"You mean you could talk to her?"

"Yes! I just decided to try to see if she could hear me, and she did!" Lucy's face fell. "Unfortunately, we weren't able to talk longer."

"Well, at least you got to talk with her some, and you know her name now," Susan said brightly, trying to cheer her sister up.

"I suppose you're right…But I'm going to keep trying to talk with her again. If that mirror would just give us a longer time to talk, then I'm sure we will become great friends! And once we become friends, I'm going to introduce her to Mr. and Mrs. Beaver and Mr. Tumnus…" Lucy listed off several more of her Narnian friends.

"That sounds great, Lu. If you don't mind, I would like to try to get a little more rest."

"Oh, of course, Su! Talk to you later!" Lucy looked over her shoulder as she walked out. "Thanks for listening!"

Susan smiled as her lively little sister bounded out the door.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Mae trudged up the wide staircase. She was exhausted. She had shopped all day with her Aunt Mallory, picking out 'proper' clothing for 'young ladies'. As far as Mae was concerned, it had been pretty boring.

She didn't like to shop a lot in the first place, so when they had had to shop for pleated skirts in the dull colors of gray, black, and blue, she had not been pleased. They had also shopped for white dress shirts, dress pants, and a few dresses. The only purchases that Mae really liked was two pairs of nice jeans, ("they're only for when you are going to get dirty" her aunt had said), a few colored shirts, and a cute pair of pj's. Other than that, she wasn't looking forward to wearing any of the other purchases.

She flopped on her bed and stared at the bags that James had deposited in her room.

"Well, I guess I better hang all my things up," Mae muttered.

She began taking off tags and hanging up skirts, dresses, shirts, dress pants, and organizing the new shoes she had gotten. After that was finished, Mae dressed in her new pj's and pulled some fluffy monkey slippers on her feet. She read a book for awhile before going to sleep. The idea of going to the mirror had crossed her mind, but she was just too tired. She slipped off into a peaceful sleep.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Mae!" a loud voice squawked. "Get out of bed and get ready for church!" Mae's Aunt Mallory shook Mae awake none too gently before leaving the room.

Mae stumbled out of bed and went to go take a shower. Feeling refreshed after doing so, she went to her closet to select a dress to wear. After selecting an aqua one, (she had had to plead to get her aunt to buy it in that color) she brushed her hair and styled it into two loose braids. She hurried down the steps and into the front room where her aunt was waiting.

"I was just about to send James up there to get you," Aunt Mallory commented, stepping out the front door and leading the way to her Lexus.

Mae slid onto the buttery leather seats and stared out the window, wondering what her Aunt Mallory's church was like. She supposed she would find out soon enough.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Mae entered the Sunday school room and took a seat near the wall. About eleven or twelve other girls were in the room, chattering away.

Two girls who looked like twins sat talking to each other and another girl. They had black hair and green eyes. They looked up at Mae, smiling two close-to-identical smiles. The only difference was that one girl had braces, and the other didn't. Mae smiled back shyly, and then began surveying the room once more.

The room was medium sized, with two futons and chairs lined up against the wall. The room was painted in a zillion shades of pink. Light pink, dark pink, hot pink, purplish pink, in-between light and dark pink. You name the shade of pink, it was there. It hardly seemed like a Sunday school room. It seemed more like a cool hangout.

Some of the girls were dressed nicely in dresses and skirts like Mae, and others had nice pants on. A few of the girls wore jeans.

"All right, girls. Let's get started." The teacher was a tall, slim woman. She had strawberry blonde hair pulled back in a French twist, and appeared to be in her early thirties. She wore a scarlet dress shirt and a black skirt.

All the girls quieted down and retrieved their Bibles from their bags, or grabbed one from a small table in the corner. The teacher, whose name was Miss Leah; began teaching about the book of Esther.

Mae, who had many times before heard the story of the brave queen who had saved God's people, let her mind wander.

After the lesson was over, Mae got up and began walking towards the door.

"I don't think I've met you," Miss Leah's voice said behind her.

"Oh. Hi. I'm Mae Phillips."

"It's nice to meet you, Mae. Did your family just start coming here?"

"No. My aunt has been coming for quite some time. But I just moved in with her," Mae said.

"Who is your aunt? Perhaps I know her," Miss Leah asked.

"Mallory DruCann," Mae replied. "I really need to go find her so we can go to service together."

"Oh, I believe I've met her on several occasions. She's a lovely woman. It was nice meeting you. Will I see you next week?"

Mae nodded, and headed out the door. She walked down the hallway, scanning the throngs of people for her aunt. She finally spotted her near the door to the sanctuary. They sat down together, and listened to the sermon.

After the service was over, Aunt Mallory strode over to one of her friends, leaving Mae alone for a moment. The twins from the Sunday school class came over.

"Hi! I'm Kayla," the twin without braces said.

"And I'm Natalie," the twin with braces said.

"I'm Mae," Mae said quietly.

"Nice to meet you. Did you just move here?" Kayla asked.

Mae once again explained she'd moved in with her aunt.

"So will we see you at school tomorrow?" Natalie asked. "Because if you're going to be there, Kayla and I can help show you around and stuff. We can introduce you to our friends."

"That's really nice, but my aunt hired me a private tutor," Mae replied. "I wish I was going to public school though."

"Oh. That's too bad," Kayla commented. Just then their parents came over and said they were leaving.

"Well, I guess we'll see you next week!" Natalie said.

"Bye!" they chorused.

"Bye."

Mae wandered back over to her aunt. Her aunt talked ten more minutes about various things until she announced that it was time to go.

Once in the car, Aunt Mallory asked, "So, did you meet any of the girls your age?"

"Yes, I met twins named Kayla and Natalie. They were really sweet."

"Oh, they're nice girls. They would make suitable friends for you. Although I hope their public schooling doesn't rub off on you."

Mae rolled her eyes. "I'm sure it won't, Aunt Mallory."

The rest of the trip was made in silence, and when they got home they had a quick lunch of soup and sandwiches. Mae went upstairs and changed, then read for awhile.

"I'm going to town for awhile, Mae. I'll be back in a few hours," Aunt Mallory knocked on the door.

"Okay," Mae replied.

Then she got up and went over to the mirror, hoping Lucy would be in the magical window. She stared at the mirror for a few minutes, but nothing happened. She got up and was walking out of the closet when a soft English accent wafted through the mirror.

"Where are you going? Don't you want to see me?"

Mae whirled around and grinned. Lucy was looking at her with a fake hurt look on her face.

"Of course! I just didn't notice you."

Lucy smiled. "I know, I was only kidding. What did you do today?"

Mae proceeded to tell her about her morning and afternoon while Lucy listened intently.

"What did you do today?" Mae inquired.

"Oh, I went on a walk with Susan, she's my sister, and I read for a bit…And now I'm talking to you," Lucy giggled. "Do you have any brothers or sisters? I have two brothers and one sister. Peter and Edmund are my brothers."

"No, I don't. Otherwise you most likely would already have heard them, although my aunt probably would keep them in line."

"Why are you staying with your aunt and not with your Dad and Mum? Are you on a holiday?"

"No, my Dad died when I was little, and my Mom died a few months ago. My aunt is the only relative I have, so I'm staying with her."

"Oh. I'm sorry," Lucy said softly.

"Thanks. So, tell me about this place you live in. Did you say if was called Narnia?" Mae asked.

"Yes, Narnia is the most wonderful land ever! It's full of magical creatures. There are centaurs, gryphons, fauns, and talking animals. My brothers and sister and I all came here through a wardrobe, and we fought the White Witch, who was trying to take over Narnia and was making it always winter," Lucy gushed. She went on to tell about the exciting and frightening experience they'd gone through. "And after we defeated her, we became the queens and kings of Narnia."

Mae was amazed. Could this really be true? Was this mirror somehow connecting the real world to this Narnia land; a fairytale world?

Mae was about to say how awesome Narnia sounded when Lucy once again faded. The window in the mirror had closed on their exciting conversation.

_**A/N: Okay, so I hope you liked this chapter! I also hope that I updated in a timely matter that suits all of my readers! Please tell me what you think! Reviews brighten my days considerably! ;)**_


	4. Chapter 4

_**A/N: Sorry it took a bit longer to get this chapter up. I've been busy with schoolwork and such. I hope you like it! R&R! ;)**_

"And after we defeated her, we became the kings and queens of Narnia," Lucy beamed, finishing her exciting tale.

Mae looked awestruck, and opened her mouth to say something, but then she shut it again and walked away. Lucy knew that Mae could no longer see her or hear her.

_Well, at least we got to talk longer, and I was able to tell her more about Narnia, _Lucy thought.

Lucy was extremely happy after this encounter with Mae, so she wandered down the halls of Cair Paravel and out into the lush, flourishing gardens. She sat down on a stone bench and surveyed her beautiful surroundings.

To her right was a flowerbed full of lilies, bluebells, and daisies; all swaying in rhythm to the slight breeze. Farther to her right was a blazing flowerbed full of red and orange poppies; looking like a sea of fire. Behind her was a lush green hedge running up and down the gardens, making a boundary between the gardens and the courtyard. To her left was a grove of orange trees, giving off a lovely citrus scent. Next to the orange trees were cherry trees, blossoming with delicate pink buds. Between the orange and cherry trees was a white stone path leading back to the palace.

Lucy stood up and plucked a few daisies and a few poppies. She took out her dagger and made small slits in the stems, connecting them together to make a stunning daisy chain. She placed it on her head, remembering when she and Susan used to make them together.

She stood on the soft grass, twirling in a circle and laughing. She finally flopped on her back and stared up at the azure sky. Only a few wispy clouds floated by, and it seemed like the most perfect day ever.

"What are you doing, Lu?"

"Oh, nothing. Just daydreaming."

"You seem awfully happy. Although I guess you are happy most of the time anyway," Peter lay down beside her. "What's made you so happy?"

"Well…" Lucy trailed off. She and Susan hadn't discussed if they were going to tell the boys or not yet. But, then again, why not tell them? They would find out eventually anyway. She turned on her side and stared at Peter in the eyes. Then she told him about her and Susan's wonderful news. She told him all about Mae, and all her plans to introduce her to her friends.

"Wow. That's amazing," Peter said.

"Isn't it?"

"Of course. Perhaps you can introduce her to Ed and me."

"Oh, sure! Although I still have to introduce her to Susan," Lucy said. "Perhaps tomorrow the mirror will open its window again."

They talked awhile longer until Peter announced that he believed it was time for high tea. "May I escort you to tea?" He asked, holding out his arm to Lucy.

"Certainly," Lucy beamed. "But first, I should probably change. I'm a bit grassy." She stared down at her rumpled satin purple dress, brushing off a few grass blades.

"Well, then, shall I escort you to your chambers?" Peter grinned.

"Yes," Lucy said, clutching his arm.

So brother and sister walked down the white stone path together, arm in arm, hand in hand.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Mae awoke when the first beam of sunlight streaked through her window. She groaned and rolled out of bed. It was Monday, and her tutor would be arriving promptly at eight o'clock.

She stumbled over to her window and gazed the sunrise. The sky had burst forth with hues of pink, purple, orange, gold, and red. The sun was rising slowly into the sky and was giving off a pink-orange glow on the dazzling white snow. Mae smiled at the glorious sight. Her mom had always loved sunrises.

She pulled herself away from the window after a few moments and got ready for the day. She put on a gray pleated skirt, white shirt, white stockings (ugh), and gray flats. She attempted at French braiding her hair, but it turned out bumpy and weird. She instead pulled her hair up into a ponytail.

She hurried down to breakfast. The cook had set out toast and eggs, along with orange juice. Mae noticed that Aunt Mallory was absent. "Where's Aunt Mallory?" she inquired of the cook.

"She's gone already. She went on a business trip," the cook replied.

"Oh."

Mae thought: _She left and didn't even tell me? How strange. Oh well. She probably does this a lot, and it just blew her mind to tell me._

She ate the cold eggs and toast and gulped down the orange juice. Then she dashed upstairs. She brushed her teeth vigorously, and then went back downstairs. She went to the library to wait for her tutor.

He arrived at eight o'clock sharp and rang the doorbell. James answered it and escorted him into the library. "Have fun," James said, winking at Mae. She gave him a reluctant smile back.

The tutor was a short muscular man. He had sideburns, and his black hair was slicked back. He wore tan slacks and a green dress shirt accompanied with a tan overcoat. His black eyes stared out from his wire rimmed glasses. His face was a ruddy red.

"So, you are Mae Phillips," he said. His voice sounded like a squeaking machine. "I am Edward J. Maxwell." He drummed his fingers on the mahogany table. "You can call me Master Edward."

_Master Edward? _Mae thought. _Strange._ "Nice to meet you." Mae curtsied, as she figured that her aunt would have instructed her to do so.

Master Edward nodded curtly. "Well, at least you have some manners. I was expecting an unrefined child with absolutely no manners. But I suppose you aren't as bad as Miss DruCann seemed to have implied, since you previously went to a public school."

"If you don't mind my saying, Master Edward," Mae replied darkly, "Kids from public schools are not _all _rowdy and without manners."

"One more outburst like that, child, and I will give you a two thousand word essay for your impertinence!" His face had turned a dark shade of red.

"But I wasn't being impert—" Mae was cut off.

"You do not tell me what you were and weren't being! I decide that!" His squeaking voice became an even higher squeak, and his eyes blazed. After a few moments, the blaze in his eyes died down and his face returned to its ruddy red color. He cleared his throat. "Now that we have that matter cleared up, sit down at the table and we will begin our studies."

Mae sat down glumly. This was going to be a long day.

For the next two hours, Mae studied algebra, English, and history. They took a short break at ten o'clock, and then continued on with geography, science, art, and vocabulary. When they had finished those subjects, Master Edward announced it was time for lunch.

"I have brought my own lunch. You may go eat. Be back in exactly half of an hour." He took a plastic container out of his bag and began eating.

Mae went to the kitchen where the cook had set out a sandwich and an apple. Mae was looking through the fridge for some milk when James came.

"Hello there, missy. How are the studies going?"

"Oh, fine I guess. Master Edward had an outburst in the beginning, but I suppose everything's fine now." Mae extracted a bottle of milk from the fridge.

"Master Edward?" James gave her a strange look.

"Yeah, that's what I thought too," Mae grinned. "I didn't think I'd ever be calling one of my teachers Master."

James let out a hearty chuckle. "Well, that's your Aunt for you, finding a tutor that's so refined." He began rummaging through the pantry in search of his lunch.

Mae gulped down her milk and finished her sandwich. She and James talked for awhile longer, and then she said she had to get back to her studies.

"Hang in there," he grinned.

She grinned back and then entered the library once more.

Master Edward glanced up from a book. "Well, looks like you got back just on time."

Mae just nodded and sat back down.

"Here, read two chapters." Master Edward thrust Pride and Prejudice in front of her. "Your Aunt wants you to read a classic. And, after you have finished reading it, you have to submit a book report. Your book report is due at the beginning of March. That gives you three weeks to read it and one week to write it."

Mae picked up the beautifully bound book and held it in her hands. It was a deep red, with gold designs on the cover. She had never been interested in this book, but it might make for a good read. She preferred fantasy and adventure stories though.

"That's all for today, Miss Phillips. I will see you tomorrow."

He picked up his bag and left before Mae could even say a quick goodbye. She shrugged and opened the book. She read for awhile, and then wandered upstairs.

She went into her closet, changed into some of her jeans (her aunt wouldn't know since she wasn't there, right?) and pulled on some normal socks.

Then she stared at the mirror, hoping she would be able to speak to Lucy. After a few minutes, blonde headed girl appeared. Lucy was sitting on her bed reading.

"Lucy," Mae said.

Lucy jumped and stared at the mirror. "Oh, hi! You startled me." She came over to the mirror. "How are you today?"

"Fine, I guess. And you?"

"I'm lovely, thank you," Lucy replied.

Lucy listened intently as Mae told her about her day and said, "Well, I hope that he won't get mad again tomorrow." She smiled. "I want you to meet my brothers and sisters. Just a minute, I'll go get them."

She rushed out of the room and returned a few minutes later with the dark haired girl Mae had seen the first day. Two boys; one with blonde hair, and one with brown; accompanied them.

The dark haired girl wore a dark blue dress with an empire waist. Silver embroidery lined the neck, sleeves, and hem of the dress. The two boys wore silk tunics; the older one wore dark green with gold embroidery, and the younger one wore dark red with silver embroidery.

"Mae, I would like you to meet my older sister; Susan. And these are my older brothers; Peter and Edmund."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Susan said.

"Hello," Peter and Edmund said together.

"Hi," Mae said softly.

"So this is why you two were gawking into the mirror like you were in awe of some great treasure or something," Edmund smirked.

Susan replied by giving him a gentle thump in the side of the head. "Ow!" Edmund protested, shooting a glare towards Susan.

Mae giggled at their antics. "I think having siblings would be a lot of fun."

"Oh, I suppose they're fun most of the times, but they can really get on your nerves," Susan replied, giving Edmund a meaningful glance.

Mae began asking questions about Narnia, and all four Pevensies answered gladly. Then they asked her questions about her world, and soon Mae was answering a flood of questions.

After all the Pevensies questions had been answered, Lucy brought up her friends.

"You have to meet my dear friends; Mr. Tumnus and Mr. and Mrs. Beaver sometime. They would love to meet you!"

"Well…I don't know," Mae replied hesitantly.

"Oh, I'm sure they would think you were very nice," Lucy pleaded. "Please?"

Mae looked down and blushed. "Well, I guess that would be all right. It would be interesting to meet them." She looked back up and smiled.

The mirror reflected her smile, and Lucy, Peter, Edmund, and Susan were gone.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter five

"Oh, I'm sure they would think you were very nice." Lucy looked pleadingly at Mae. "Please?"

Blushing, Mae looked down. "Well—"

Lucy sighed and turned around and looked at her siblings. "I suppose we'll have to wait for her answer."

"I'm sure you'll see her again soon," Susan said. "It was nice to meet her and actually be able to talk with her. She is very nice."

Peter and Edmund agreed, and they discussed how interesting her world seemed. Then they left, leaving Lucy alone.

"Oh, I can't wait to see you again," Lucy whispered, plucking at the skirt of her dress.

After a few minutes, Lucy began to grow tired. Even though it was a bit early, she slipped into a crisp white nightgown and fell asleep.

~*~*~*~*~*~*

Mae looked up from the book she was reading and glanced out the window. The sound of a car coming down the road drew nearer. At the sight of her Aunt's car, Mae jumped up. She scrambled to her closet and ripped off her jeans and t-shirt. She quickly wriggled into a white dress shirt and a gray pleated skirt. Mae grabbed her white stockings and shoved her feet into them. She grabbed some black flats off of a shelf and placed them on her feet while she half-ran half-hopped down the hall. Dashing down the steps two at a time, she finally came to a stop at the bottom.

Mae smoothed her hair and skirt and stood primly, waiting for her Aunt Mallory to come in the door. Not one minute after Mae had finished smoothing her skirt, her aunt walked in the door.

"Hi, Aunt Mallory. Welcome home."

"Thank you dear. Sorry I had to leave, but I had important business to attend to," Aunt Mallory said. "Now, James, bring my things up to my room immediately. And do hurry. I am quite exhausted and want to rest. Do try to be quiet, child." Aunt Mallory climbed the stairs and disappeared down the hall.

Mae stared after her aunt, and then went out the back door. She hid behind a bush, watching and waiting for her Aunt Mallory to close the curtains on her bedroom windows. Sure enough, they closed in a few minutes. Mae started across the yard, but then remembering she had left her book, tiptoed back inside.

After retrieving her book, she ran across the yard and scrambled over the freshly painted white picket fence. Mae ran to an old Maple tree and scrambled up into its bare branches. After comfortably arranging herself on a branch, she began to read. Mae shivered as a bitter February breeze brushed its way past her. She found herself wishing she had remembered a coat.

_Oh well. I'll be fine, _Mae thought, and continued reading her book.

~*~*~*~*~*~*

Lucy sat down on her bed dejectedly. She hadn't seen Mae in a very long time. It seemed as though the mirror had closed its window once and for all.

Susan had said that Mae had probably grown tired of talking to Lucy, and she had moved on with her life. After all, Susan had said, Mae had probably made new friends and was busy with school and other things. She had forgotten about Lucy and Narnia.

Susan had said this while trying not to upset her younger sister, but her words had come out very matter-of-factly, and whether she had intended to or not, her dear sister's heart had been crushed.

Lucy had run from the room and was now in her room angrily brushing away tears. How could Susan say such a thing? Of course Mae hadn't forgotten about her. She was Lucy's friend! Perhaps she had just gone away on a long holiday. A very long holiday.

"Oh, who am I kidding? No one has that long of holidays," Lucy whispered sadly. "She probably has forgotten about Narnia and me."

Lucy struggled with her emotions for quite some time. As much as she wanted to believe Mae hadn't forgotten her, she was having serious doubts.

Lucy was sitting with her knees pulled up to her chest and had her head propped on her knees when a soft knock sounded on the door.

"Come in," Lucy sniffed.

The door opened quietly, and Susan appeared in the doorway. She came over and sat down beside Lucy. Lucy looked away, still a bit irritated with Susan.

Susan was quiet for a moment; then she spoke. "I'm sorry Lu. I shouldn't have said those things. I was just being realistic, as usual."

Lucy knew that this was hard for Susan to do. She didn't admit to being too realistic very often. "It's all right."

"But you should think about what I said. It could still be a possibility."

Lucy smiled and nodded. Obviously her sister wasn't completely cured of being realistic. "I know…I just didn't want to believe it because I was afraid if I did, it would become true. But I'm still hoping she hasn't forgotten about me."

"I hope she hasn't either." Susan wrapped her arm around Lucy. "I don't know how anyone could forget you anyway. You're too sweet."

Lucy smiled. They talked for a little longer until Susan announced she had to leave.

"I'm going to go meet one of my friends. I'll talk to you later." Susan stood up and walked to the door.

"Bye, Su," Lucy called.

Susan returned the goodbye and then left.

Lucy went to the window and stared out at the glistening blue sea. The waves lapped gently at the shore. They left a bit of foam behind each time, as if they were leaving scraps of lace on the sandy shore.

"Oh, how beautiful it is!" Lucy said to herself. There couldn't be a more perfect day. Well, she supposed there could be. If Mae would only reappear in the mirror, _then _it would be perfect.

~*~*~*~*~*

Mae began picking up the sea of blankets and pillows that covered her bedroom floor. Her aunt had allowed her to have Kayla and Natalie over last night. "As long as you aren't too rambunctious and you keep your voices down, I don't mind." Aunt Mallory had said.

They had just left, and now Mae was carrying out the "lovely" task of cleaning up her room. The girls would have helped, but their mom had shown up unexpectedly saying that they had to go to their cousin's house. Some cousin's birthday party was today and their mom had completely forgotten about it. So now Mae was alone for the day.

Mae folded up a fuzzy polar bear blanket and laid it on top of a huge pile of blankets now stacked on her bed. "There. That's the last of them," Mae muttered.

She then began trying to stuff them onto her shelf in her closet. After having the pile fall off the shelf and having to refold them again, she finally arranged them on a shelf successfully.

She glanced over at the mirror. She hadn't talked to Lucy for about a week. The smooth glass beckoned her. She went up to it and laid her hand on it. She stared at herself until her reflection blurred and Lucy's room appeared.

It was a sunny day in Narnia, as bright sunlight poured into the room, bathing it in a warm glow. The room was neat and orderly. The only thing missing was Lucy. Mae looked around the room, and finally spotted a taller girl with golden hair standing at the window.

_I wonder what this girl is doing in Lucy's room, _Mae thought curiously.

"Hello," Mae called softly.

The girl turned around and squealed. "Mae!" She rushed over to the mirror.

Mae was startled. Lucy's face looked back at her. Her face looked older, she was taller, and her hair had grown longer. "You look so much older, Lucy," Mae commented.

"Well of course I look older. It's been about a year since we saw each other."

Mae gasped. "No it hasn't. It's only been a week!"

Now it was Lucy's turn to look bewildered. "I'm sure it hasn't been a week, Mae. It most certainly _has_ been a year."

"But _I'm_ certain it's only been a week," Mae said, confused.

They stared at each other for a while. "Well, never mind. Let's just talk. We can figure this out later," Lucy suggested.

"Okay," Mae agreed.

They talked about various things. Lucy told Mae about how she was afraid Mae had forgotten her, and Mae assured her that most certainly had not forgotten. Mae told Lucy about what had gone on at her sleep over. Just then, a knock sounded on the door.

"Just a minute." Lucy walked over and opened the door.

"Lu, Mr. Tumnus and Mr. and Mrs. Beaver have arrived," a more sophisticated looking Susan said.

"She's grown too," Mae whispered.

Lucy squealed. "Oh, have them come up immediately! Tell them I have a surprise."

Susan gave Lucy a curious look before acknowledging her request. "All right. I'll be right back."

Lucy rushed back over to Mae. "Oh, now you can meet my friends! I'm sure they'll love to meet you."

Lucy danced back and forth on her feet like an excited rabbit. "Oh, I just can't wait! I haven't seen them in forever—why, what's the matter, Mae? You look pale."

"I guess I'm just a little bit nervous. After all, I've never met a—Oh, what did you call it—Oh, yes. A faun. And talking beavers," Mae said quietly. "And I am kinda shy when I meet new people."

Lucy's eyes softened. "It will be okay, Mae. They're really nice. Don't worry." Lucy put her hand on the mirror's glass, as if to comfort her.

Mae matched her hand with Lucy's. "Thanks."

Lucy smiled, and then began hopping again. "Oh, I think they're coming!" She ran to the door.

"Hello, my Queen," a kind voice said.

"Oh, Mr. Tumnus! You know you can call me Lucy." Lucy's voice wafted in from the hallway. "Here, all of you come in." She motioned them into her room.

Pretty soon, a creature with a man's upper body and two furry legs with two tiny legs appeared. He had dark unruly hair and wore a blue scarf. Two rather plump but adorable beavers appeared also, and one was brushing its fur furiously, as if to brush off dirt.

"I can't believe you didn't even let me wash up before we came into the palace, Beaver," Mrs. Beaver whispered to Mr. Beaver.

"I think you look lovely. Now stop your fussing," Mr. Beaver replied in a whisper. "How are you, Lucy? It's been quite a while since we've seen each other."

Lucy filled all of them in, and then she asked them a few questions. Then she seemed to remember that Mae was waiting to be introduced. "I have a surprise for all of you. I want you all to meet someone. Now, close your eyes and don't open them until I say," she instructed.

They all proceeded to do so. Lucy turned around and smiled an exuberant smile at Mae. Mae smiled back. Bouncing excitedly, Lucy said, "Open your eyes!"

The Beavers and Mr. Tumnus all opened their eyes and looked around. After a few moments, they looked confused.

"Lucy, where is this surprise visitor?" Mr. Tumnus questioned.

"Right here," Lucy gestured towards the mirror.

Mae held her breath. She was finally going to speak to these wonderful Narnian creatures! Mr. Tumnus's eyes widened, as well as the Beaver's.

Mae waved and said, "Hello."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

_**A/N: All right! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I'm very sorry about taking so terribly long to update. I will update much sooner (hopefully!) in the future. Please give me your opinion on how in character Mr. Tumnus was. I had a bit of trouble describing and expressing him... I know that this was one of those middle chapters that wasn't the best…But I still have a lot planned for this story. PLEASE review! They brighten my day so much and help to improve my writing skills. So, please, fire away! ;) **_


End file.
